Golden Gate (population
100) is a village in Leech Township
in southeastern Wayne County . It sits on a ridge overlooking the bottoms of the Little Wabash River to the north and
west. The Southern Railroad runs through the town. The information below is primarily summarized from Laurie Selpien’s excellent www.genealogytrails.com/ill/wayne website, and from info submitted by Vickey Woodard of the Golden
Gate area.

While settlement of Wayne County
began before 1820, the area around Golden Gate was sparsely populated until the 1870’s. A few squatters living
primitive lives in the Wabash bottoms gave rise to the area’s nickname of “Barefoot”. In 1870,
David Leach (unrelated to Samuel Leech, the township’s namesake) began buying, clearing and draining bottom land in
the area. His sons, George and L.D., became prosperous farmers and merchants and founded the town. When the railroad
came through, one local landowner held out, insisting that he be paid in gold for his right-of-way. His demands were
met, and when the town was incorporated in 1897 it was known as Golden Gate . The town prospered in the early 1900’s
based on the clearing of the virgin timber in the bottoms. Several sawmills, a tile factory and the Carey and Stewart
stave mill provided employment as the town reached a population of nearly 500. As the timber ran out, the population
declined until the nearby discovery of oil in the late 1930’s provided a temporary increase.

A brick school was built in Golden
Gate around 1910. In 1934, a two-year high school program was added. The first teacher/principal was John Wagner,
followed by John Keiser and Lee Matheny. A 1945 commencement program lists 42 students, 27 of which were girls.
The high school was likely discontinued in the late 1940’s along with virtually all other 2-year high schools in the
state. A grade school was continued for number of years. Golden Gate students today attend Fairfield schools.

The brick Golden Gate school
still stands in 2007, although in a vacant and dilapidated state.

Golden Abandoned Stores 2012

Photo by Gerry Halpin

Golden School Doors 2012

Photo by Gerry Halpin

Golden School Building 2012

Photo by Gerry Halpin

GOLDEN GATE SCHOOL / CHURCH REUNION 2008

From Mary Marks:

"The Golden Gate United Methodist
Church will be hosting a reunion on July 13, 2008 for everyone who attended Golden Gate Grade and High School.
There is a service at the church from 11:00a.m. to 12:00p.m. that consists of reminiscing and worship. A potluck dinner
is at noon in the church basement. A lot of memorbilia is displayed during the dinner/social time."

Golden Gate Community High School Quick Facts

Year opened as two-year high school: 1934

Year closed:
late 1940s

Consolidated to:
Fairfield High School

Golden Gate HS team nickname: unavailable

Golden Gate HS team colors: unavailable

Golden Gate HS fight song:
unavailable

ATHLETICS & EXTRA CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES

Golden Gate High School apparently played
interscholastic sports (probably basketball), with Chester Gillette and Virgil Hortin listed
as coaches in 1945. It is not known if a gymnasium ever existed, or if the teams had a mascot. It is possible
that other sports such as baseball and track were offered as well.

Other activities such as band, chorus, dances,
and plays were likely a part of the Golden Gate Community High School experience as well.

SPECIAL GRATITUDE

Thank you to Vickey Woodard
and Gerry Halpin for all of the information and photos supplied on this page.

TO SUBMIT FURTHER INFORMATION
REGARDING GOLDEN GATE HIGH SCHOOL:

If you have more information you would like
to share regarding Golden Gate Community High School please contact us at ihsgdwebsite@comcast.net. You can also complete a Guest Commentary Form found on this site (click here) or you may write to us at: